Big 12 Player of the Year?

With all the talk around Oklahoma with Dede Westbrook and Baker Mayfield being their 2 Heisman candidates, OSU quarterback, Mason Rudolph, has quietly been cementing himself as the Big 12 Player of the Year. How so? Just look at the numbers.

Mason Rudolph is 12th nationally in passing efficiency, and is 4 places better than Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, 6 places above Louisville’s Lamar Jackson, and 19 spots above Alabama’s Jalen Hurts! Also, he ranks 22nd in completion percentage at 64%. That’s better than Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett (39th), Lamar Jackson (Not in top 50), and Ole Miss’ Chad Kelley (32nd). Those statistics are impressive, but Rudolph also stands 5th in the country in yards per game, 14th in passing yards per completion, and 23rd in passing touchdowns.

With all these spread offenses taking over the Big 12, notable names that also ranked decently were Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes and West Virginia’s Skyler Howard. Numbers don’t always equal wins, and Texas Tech is a prime example at 5-7 but putting up massive passing stats for Mahomes. Mason Rudolph has lead the Cowboys to a 9-2 record and a chance to give OSU a second Big 12 since 2010. That’s more than Mahomes and Howard will do this season.

Yes, Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook are fantastic football players and worthy to head to New York, but Lamar Jackson will most likely take home the Heisman trophy in a landslide. Rudolph won’t be in New York, but he will be in Norman Saturday to face the Sooners for a chance to take home the Big 12 crown, and perhaps, Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Just something to think about as Bedlam kickoff is less than two days away.